Engineer/Chemist — Chemical Laboratory

WD is building the infrastructure behind the AI-driven data economy. As AI scales, so does data. Every interaction, every model, every system generates data that must be stored, managed, and made accessible over time. That’s where we come in. We combine deep engineering expertise with global-scale manufacturing to deliver the storage systems that make AI possible, powering hyperscale data centers, cloud platforms, and enterprise infrastructure worldwide. This isn’t theoretical work. It’s real systems, at real scale, people solving some of the hardest challenges in technology today. We’re looking for people who want to build, solve, and operate at that level. Join us and let’s shape the future of data. The Chemical Laboratory ECT supports the Quality Assurance Analytical Laboratory through applied analytical chemistry knowledge and technical oversight. The ECT is expected to possess a strong theoretical and practical understanding of GCMS and IC analytical principles, to verify results, investigate anomalies, support instrument troubleshooting, and contribute to laboratory quality activities. This role is designed to develop a technically competent analytical chemist within a high-throughput manufacturing quality environment. Key Responsibilities Analytical Chemistry — Theory & Principles • Understand how column polarity, stationary phase chemistry, carrier gas flow, and oven temperature programming govern analyte retention time and chromatographic resolution in GCMS, and how analyte ions interact with the ion exchange resin based on ionic charge, size, and eluent competition in IC. • Understand the differences between split, splitless, and headspace injection techniques for GCMS sample introduction, and apply knowledge of IC eluent systems and suppression-based conductivity detection. • Understand electron ionization (EI) fragmentation mechanisms and how resulting mass spectra are matched against spectral libraries (e.g., NIST) for compound identification in GCMS, and how chemical suppression reduces eluent background conductivity to enhance analyte signal in IC. • Interpret total ion chromatograms (TIC) and extracted ion chromatograms (EIC/SIM) for GCMS, and IC chromatograms for correct peak identification by retention time matching and quantification against multi-level external calibration standards. • Understand external and internal standard calibration approaches and apply linearity, LOD, LOQ, and SD as method performance indicators across both GCMS and IC analytical methods. • Recognize common analytical issues in both instruments, including ghost peaks, column bleed, peak tailing, split peaks, and sensitivity loss in GCMS, and system peaks, ionic co-elution, suppressor breakthrough, and baseline instability in IC — and understand their chemical origins and impact on data quality. Routine Analysis — Technical Oversight • Review technician-generated results against method acceptance criteria, calibration validity windows, and system suitability benchmarks such as recovery check, trend chart monitoring, and calibration R². • Investigate OOS (Out-of-Specification) and OOT (Out-of-Trend) results by applying chemistry knowledge to assess probable analytical or process-related causes before escalate findings through the appropriate quality chain. • Support root cause analysis of ambiguous or anomalous chromatographic results, distinguishing between sample matrix effects, instrument performance issues, and genuine process contamination signals. • Participate in method familiarization runs alongside the technician to observe how theoretical principles translate into real instrument responses and chromatographic behavior. • Maintain a thorough understanding of the complete analytical workflow — from sample receipt, preparation, and injection through data acquisition, chromatogram review, result interpretation, and final sample disposition. Instrument Maintenance & Troubleshooting, Data Management, Quality & Compliance • Perform and understand routine preventive maintenance (PM) for both GCMS and IC instruments, including consumable replacements, column conditioning, system performance checks, and first-level troubleshooting. • Verify that reagents, calibration standards, and consumable stocks are correctly prepared, labelled, within expiry, and replenished in a timely manner, ensuring full traceability to certified reference materials (CRM) and compliance with chemical storage, segregation, and EHS waste disposal requirements. • Execute responsibilities in accordance with applicable quality system documentation and GLP requirements This position is part of our Early Career program at WD. Our Early Career program is designed to support individuals beginning their professional career by providing the foundational training through a structured onboarding, mentorship, and development curriculum. Education: Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Applied Chemistry, or Industrial Chemistry. Experience: Fresh graduates are welcome to apply; industrial training in an analytical, QC, or R&D chemistry laboratory is an advantage. Software: Proficient in MS Excel; exposure to CDS software (MassHunter, Chromeleon, ChemStation, OpenLab) is an advantage. Added Advantage: Hands-on or coursework-level exposure to GC, IC, HPLC, or equivalent chromatographic instruments. Exposure to statistical data evaluation tools such as control charts, regression analysis, and trending. WD is committed to providing equal opportunities to all applicants and employees and will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on their race, color, ancestry, religion (including religious dress and grooming standards), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), gender (including a person’s gender identity, gender expression, and gender-related appearance and behavior, whether or not stereotypically associated with…